1. Conifers of Colorado

2. Conifer = Member of the phylum Coniferophyta Most familiar, most successful of all Gymnosperms (cone-bearing plants) Includes pines, spruces, firs, junipers & cedars Evergreens : -sheds only a few needles at a time -slow growing -can do year-round photosynthesis

3. Conifer (continued) Needles (modified leaves) conserve water Needles gathered together @ base, clusters of 2-5 Needles in a little sheath, sheath gone after one year Seeds in woody scaled cones, mature in 2 seasons

4. Pines (genus Pinus) Needles: Scattered over twig singly Sharp pointed Four sided Cones: Pendant w/ parchment-like scales Fall off tree whole

5. Bristlecone Pine Pinus aristata Life span: 5,000 years (oldest tree) Elevation: 10,000 to 12, 000 feet

6. Piñon Pine Pinus edulis Short scrubby tree prefers dry, open, south- facing slopes, lower altitudes Cones open readily to yield large seeds (Piñon nuts)

7. Single-leaf Piñon Pine Pinus monophylla Needles solitary, gray-green, rigid, sharp-pointed, curved toward branch Prefers stony, dry slopes, common on the Western slope of Colorado

8. Lodgepole Pine Pinus contorta variety latifolia Tall, slender, used for tee-pee poles Grows in thick stands Elevation 7-11 thousand feet Cones with long prickles toward base

9. Limber Pine Pinus flexilis Prefers stony, dry slopes & canyons Branches flexible, planted to minimize avalanche damage Trunk often crooked

10. Ponderosa Pine Pinus ponderosa Prefers open park-like spaces Elevation 5-8 thousand feet Needles 3-7 in., clusters of 2 or 3 Cones have spines Black bark when young, a.k.a. “Black Jack Pine” Yellow bark with thick plates when mature

11. See Pine Needle Page

12. Spruces (genus Picea) Needles sharp, (OUCH!) four sided, attached singly on all sides of twig Needles leave scars on twig when broken off that look like a grater Cones hang down, have parchment-like scales

13. Colorado Blue Spruce Picea pungens Colorado state tree, widely used as an ornamental tree Color: silver blue to green-blue Young needles soft, adult needles very prickly, diamond-shaped in cross-section Twigs not hairy; cones 3.5 in.w/ ragged margins; bark dark gray, thin, & scaly Prefer moist soil, north slopes

14. Engelmann Spruce Picea engelmani Often used as an ornamental, also for timber & paper pulp Color green, needles 4-sided in cross-section Cones less than 2 in., light chestnut brown Twigs hairy; bark purplish brown or cinnamon red Prefers moist, north slopes

15. Firs (genus Abies) Needles (blunt & fairly soft) grow directly from branch Includes: True firs (flat, plump needles) & Douglas-firs (flat, linear needles) Cones erect, not conspicuous in true firs; cones pendant w/ 3-pronged tongues in Douglas firs

16. White Fir Abies concolor Color: silver blue to silvery green Needles: 2 in. or more, 2-3 in. long, flat, & straight Bark very thick, rough, ash gray w/ deep furrows & wide ridges in older trees Cones large, erect, pale green or deep purple

17. Douglas Fir Pseudotsuga menziesii Bark: whitish gray & smooth on young trees, red-brown, deeply furrowed in older trees Needles: ¾ - 1 ¼ inches long, flat, grooved upper surface Cones pendant w/ 3-pronged tongues

18. Alpine/Subalpine Fir Abies lasiocarpa Color: blue-green to silvery Prefers high mountains Needles: flat, 1-1.8 in. w/ silvery lines of stomata on both surfaces & blunt tip, point up Bark: smooth, thin, pale grayish white, some brown fissures w/ reddish inner bark Cones: densely clustered, cylindrical, 2¼ - 4 inches long, deep to pale purple Compact spire-like crown

19. Corkbark Fir Abies lasiocarpa variety arizonica Very similar to Alpine/Subalpine Fir Differences: 1. Cone scales 2. Bark ashy-gray, soft, corky

20. Junipers (genus Juniperus) Cones reduced to small bluish berries Needles reduced to little green scales on twigs about ½ in, sometimes spreading Usually below 9,000 feet

21. Rocky Mountain Juniper Juniperus scopulorum Pea-size blue berries w/ gray waxy covering Bark gray to red- brown, scaly w/ ridges; twigs slender Berries have two seeds

22. Utah Juniper and One-Seed Juniper Juniperus utahensis & J. monosperma Utah: needle scales yellow green; berries w/ 1 seed, brown with gray waxy covering; bark gray, thin, w/long scales; short twisted trunk One-Seed: common in semi-arid rocky soils; berries w/ 1 seed, brown with gray waxy covering; bark gray, scaly; short twisted trunk, open crown w/ stout branches

23. Cedars (genus Cedrus) Many “Cedars” as they are called, are actually Junipers, or other species altogether Needles: ½ - 2 in. long, w/ sharp tips, grow in clusters & are blue-green to silvery Can grown in most soil types Pyramidal shape

24. Eastern Red Cedar Juniperus virginiana Not really a Cedar, rather a Juniper Can reach heights of 40-50 feet Thin fibrous bark ~ ¼ to ¾ inch thick Sold commercially to the public Small fleshy berries (cones) w/ 1-4 seeds/cone

25. Atlas Cedar Cedrus atlantica Can reach heights of 40-60 feet Needles: ¾ to 1½ inches, blue- green Cones: 2¼ - 4 in. when mature, turn brown